Bible Commentaries

Matthew 6:1-4), prayer (Matthew 6:5-15), fasting (Matthew 6:16-18),

materialism (Matthew 6:19-24), and anxiety (Matthew 6:25-33).

POINTS TO PONDER

* Performing acts of righteousness in ways that please God

* The danger of materialism and overcoming anxiety about such things

* Making the kingdom of God and His righteousness our number one

priority

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What are the main points of this chapter?

- Righteousness with respect to man's relation to God - Matthew 6:1-18

- Overcoming materialism and anxiety - Matthew 6:16-33

2) As we perform acts of righteousness, what should we avoid? (Matthew 6:1-2; Matthew 6:5; Matthew 6:16)

- Doing it for the purpose of being seen by men

- Acting like the hypocrites in the synagogues and in the streets

3) How can we ensure that God will reward us for our righteous acts?

(Matthew 6:4; Matthew 6:6; Matthew 6:18)

- By doing them in secret where only the Father sees

4) How else does Jesus teach us to give, pray, and fast? (Matthew 6:3; Matthew 6:7; Matthew 6:17)

- Do not let our left hand know what our right hand is doing as we

give

- Do not use vain repetition as we pray

- Do not disfigure our faces as we fast

5) What is the likely purpose of "The Lord's Prayer"? (Matthew 6:9-13)

- To serve as a model of prayer ("In this manner...")

6) Of things in "The Lord's Prayer," on what does Jesus elaborate?

(Matthew 6:14-15)

- The need for us to forgive others their trespasses against us

7) Where are we to lay up treasure? Why? How? (Matthew 6:20; Matthew 6:24; cf. Matthew 19:21;

1 Timothy 6:17-19)

- In heaven; to serve God rather than mammon; by giving to the poor

8) What is the key to overcoming anxiety? (Matthew 6:25-32)

- Trusting in the providential care of God

9) How can we ensure that God will provide what we need? (Matthew 6:33)

- By seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness

Matthew 6:1-34

Matthew 6:1-34

Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 6:1)

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (continued)

The prohibition in this verse is against a false motive for righteousness, namely, "to be seen." Secrecy is not here enjoined in any absolute sense; because Christ also said, "Let your light so shine ..." (Matthew 5:16). However, secrecy is by far the best, where possible, as a test of one's personal motive for deeds of righteousness.

Verse2
When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have the glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

The area of instruction covered here is personal and individual, the broad assumption being that every true follower of Christ gives alms; that is, helps other people. Christ did not say, "If thou doest alms ..." but "WHEN"! One's obligation to be mindful of human need and suffering is not totally discharged by the support, however generous, of any church budget. The reference to "sounding a trumpet" refers to an ostentatious practice of the Pharisees, termed "hypocrites" by the Lord; but here it has a much wider application and constitutes a prohibition against all forms of boastful and vain-glorious conduct. The idiomatic expression "blowing one's own horn" is perhaps derived from this very passage.

Note also the contrast of rewards in these two verses. There is the genuine and eternal reward in heaven, on the one hand, and the ephemeral, uncertain, and unsatisfying reward of popular applause or approval, on the other. The child of God should always have respect to the greater.

Verse3
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.

This is a heavenly guideline for maintaining the desired privacy as applied specifically to alms-giving.

Verse4
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.

It is notable that there are especially compulsory requirements for secrecy in this area of righteousness. Secrecy in giving personal aid and assistance to helpless or unfortunate persons is commanded by Christ and has these easily discernible qualities to commend it: (1) It assures purity of motive in the heart of the giver by removing the temptation to hypocrisy. (2) It protects and honors the privacy of the recipient, a privacy that is indispensable to his recovery and rehabilitation. (3) It protects the benefactor from a proliferation of calls upon his generosity. (4) It provides a noble basis for the development of true love and friendship between the helper and the person helped. (5) It honors this specific commandment of Christ; and, to the Christian, this is the most important of all. The tragic consequences of failure to observe this principle of secrecy are today clearly visible on a national scale where the state's ostentatious helping of the poor has degraded millions who, stripped of every dignity, must stand in line, bare the innermost secrets of their souls to "case workers," and finally sink into a state of permanent and professional poverty and the complete abandonment of self-esteem, self-reliance, and responsibility. Not even a government can violate Christ's commandment in this important business of human welfare without sustaining extensive and irreparable damage both to itself and to its citizens.

Verse5
And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.

As in the matter of alms-giving, it is not a case of "if" but "when." Prayer is a vital and constant condition of the truly spiritual life. In this passage with verses following, Christ exposes the entire area of hypocritical and ostentatious prayers. The proper exercise of the privilege of prayer is violated (1) by the choice of an improper place of prayer, (2) by the use of vain repetitions, and (3) by the employment of long and verbose monologue. Each of these violations receives our Lord's specific attention.

(1) Improper place for prayer is indicated by "the street corners." How about crowded restaurants and public places? Thanksgiving for private meals is surely enjoined, but semi-public prayers of thanks could be another matter. To be sure, prayer may be offered anywhere at any time, from the belly of a whale, from the cross, in a storm, during battle, in a garden, ANYWHERE! Yet, there are some places that do not fit the purpose of prayer. Prayers offered before congregations, at public gatherings, and in halls of parliaments and legislatures are not proscribed; but any occasion or place selected that invites public scorn and contempt for religion is a far different matter. Prayers offered at mealtime are best when offered in the quiet reverence of private situations. Whether or not, then, a Christian should offer thanks for meals in public places would have to be decided upon the basis of the particular time and place, sometimes yes, and sometimes, possibly, no. It is usually not very difficult for a person to know if he is in a street-corner situation or not.

Verse6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.

(2) The best place for prayer is characterized by secrecy, privacy, and quietness. The secret place, the private room, the inner chamber, the shut door - these are the best situations in which acceptable prayer may be offered.

Verse7
And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

(3) The third area of abuse of the sacred privilege of prayer is in the matter of vain, empty repetitions. The customs of Gentiles in regard to this abuse were well known. Water wheels, wind chimes, endless chanting over and over of prescribed words are old and widely observed characteristics of pagan prayers; and these have continued down the centuries until these very times. About1960 , Life Magazine printed numerous samples of such "rote" prayers in an article on the Far East. One such example was the following:

Hail, Jewel in the lotus flower; Hail, Jewel in the lotus flower; Hail, Jewel in the lotus flower ..., etc.

Of all such repetitious exercises, Christ said, "Use not!" Any person familiar with the Rosary cannot fail to wonder how such a thing could be observed among the followers of Christ; that is, if considered in the light of Jesus" words in this passage.

They think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. This not only condemns rote, repetitious prayers, but also limits the amount of speaking in prayer. How often and how outrageously this divine injunction is violated, and sometimes by the very best of people! A classical example was the harangue of Cardinal Cushing on the occasion of the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. Mislabeled "a prayer," it ran on and on for17 minutes and30 seconds. Even that was exceeded by Aimie Semple McPherson whose31minutes and10 seconds of "prayer" before the Democratic convention that nominated Franklin D. Roosevelt the first time must have set some kind of record at Chicago in1932. The scandalous length of such prayers was rebuked on that occasion by the humorist Will Rogers who immediately followed her and quipped, "Well, I didn"t know anybody could think up that much to impress the Lord in favor of a Democrat? This remark touched off a full-fledged demonstration!

Verse8
Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what thing's ye have need of, before ye ask him.

This, of course, is elementary wisdom. A God who needs to be told what men need could certainly not help if told! Prayers, giving God information, are as ridiculous as they are impious.

Verse9
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

THE LORD's PRAYER

By a strange coincidence, this prayer is translated by66 words in the King James Version, and by39 words in the Luke account in the Revised Version, corresponding respectively to the66 books in the Bible and to the39 books in the Old Testament. The above rendition of the prayer has55 words, due to the omission of the doxology.

After this manner ... The Lord did not say, "Pray in these words," but "After this manner." How strange it is that this very prayer should have become the very thing it was designed to prevent, namely a rote prayer! Surely, the very mystery of iniquity is evident in such a development. And what is the "manner of this prayer"? It is: (1) short, (2) spontaneous, (3) God-oriented, the first three petitions being for things of God rather than for things of men, (4) extemporaneous, being given in two forms by Christ himself as evidenced by the Matthew and Luke accounts, (5) to the point, and (6) full of humility.

Our Father who art in heaven ... The Biblical image of God presents Him as a loving Father. This is especially true in the teachings of Christ which refer to Him as "Father" no less than160 times. Men are constrained to acknowledge common parentage, equal need, and community status as to their sins and requirements in order to supplicate God for his blessings. Christ could and did pray, "My Father," but his disciples must ever pray, "Our Father." God is man's Father because he created him, sustains him, and provides all that man needs. In this petition, God's Fatherhood is presented on a higher level, namely that of the new birth (John 3:5). As Paul expressed it, "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). Since God is man's true and only spiritual Father, it is sinful and improper to refer this title, spiritually, to any man (Matthew 23:9, which see). God's Fatherhood was dimly perceived by the Hebrews but is far more graphically presented by Christ. God loves men enough to give his Son (John 3:16); a sparrow cannot fall without his care (Matthew 10:29); if people become prodigals, the Father waits patiently to welcome their return (Luke 15:22); and if people become cold, merciless bigots like the elder brother, the Father entreats even them (Luke 15:28). Oh, what a Father to fallen man is God!

Christ revealed that heaven is the place where God is. No childish, naive, materialistic concept of heaven as a kind of upstairs beyond some convenient cloud is meant. Heaven is "up" in that a total set or system of higher values and principles is in operation there. God is not merely "in" heaven but is "everywhere" (Acts 17:28). Therefore, the Scriptural definition of heaven is primarily not a place at all, in the ordinary sense, but a state of being higher and nobler than our earthly life, invisible to mortal eyes (1 Timothy 6:16), not subject to material limitation, nor to the presence of death or sin, and yet a true reality of the most transcendent importance and glory. The Christian faith is a heaven-centered faith. Christ's teaching places the utmost emphasis upon it, making it the abode of the Father, the ultimate home of the redeemed, and the source of all blessing. The word "heaven" was ever on his lips. From heaven he came, of heaven he spoke, to heaven he pointed the way, from heaven he brought the Father's message, from heaven angels came to support him in the wilderness of temptations and in the garden of Gethsemane. In heaven the skies were darkened when he was crucified; from heaven angels came to roll away the stone from his grave, not to let him out, but to let the witnesses in and to announce his resurrection to the disciples. To heaven the angels escorted him to receive the everlasting kingdom; from heaven angels warned the disciples about gazing idly into heaven; and in heaven he is interceding at God's right hand. From heaven he will come a second time to judge the quick and dead, to cast evil out of his universe and to welcome the redeemed into the home of the soul.

Hallowed be thy name ... The very first petition of this prayer is solicitous for the honor of God's name. Top priority belongs to the things of God and not to the things of men. Man's spiritual well being, dependent entirely upon his relationship to God, is infinitely more important, even than daily bread - a point of view which comes difficult indeed for sinful men. The Third Commandment in the Decalogue emphasizes this same point, that being negative, this positive enlightenment on the same truth. Men hallow the name of God when they honor His word, His church, His doctrine, His Son, His laws, and His name.

Thy kingdom come ... It should be remembered that at the time Jesus gave this example of an acceptable, spontaneous prayer, the kingdom was yet future. The establishment of his kingdom on the day of Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus Christ fulfilled this petition, answered it. The kingdom his disciples were instructed to pray for is now rounding out nearly two thousand years of successful existence on earth, and it seems strange indeed that men still pray this prayer in exactly the same words. Should this be? No! Especially if it is prayed with any thought that God's kingdom is not yet established. Thus, if one limits these words to their obvious, primary, and original meaning, they form no proper part of a prayer today. However, a word of caution should be observed. These words may be, and undoubtedly are, capable of another meaning. The Britannica World Language Edition of Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary gives no less than NINETEEN meanings for the word "come," and the fifth of these is: "to attain an end or a completion. Thy kingdom come."

Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth ... Men may know what is the will of God through study of his word and resultant renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2). In a certain sense, the will of God is now being done. Nothing, not even evil, can exist apart from God's will; but this prayer is a petition that men's hearts may be responsive to God's will for man.

As in heaven ... is a reminder that the highest order of intelligent beings, even angels, comply with the will of God. To what extent are floods, earthquakes, disasters, etc. the "will of God"? People fancy that their knowledge of medical science, for example, removes such things as the Black Death of the1300's from the category of God's will and relegates them to the status of man-controlled and understood inconveniences. It is true that here and there man has plucked a feather from the wings of the angel of death or discovered one of the Grim Reaper's ambushes; but, in the larger view, he has eliminated neither suffering nor death. These exist by God's permissive will. Such things as catastrophes, epidemics, plagues, tornadoes, hurricanes, and all such things are a part of our world as God made it, or at least as he allows it to be. The ancient who bowed his head under the duress of sorrow or disaster and meekly said, "Oh God, thy will be done," in all essential areas, stood upon the same ground the Christian occupies today when he prays this prayer. It is wonderful that the of this prayer are so often on men's lips, especially in view of the divisions that have marred Christendom. Whatever the state of unity and harmony in heaven, it is God's will that the same unity and harmony should prevail upon earth. This prayer, therefore, rebukes the common heresies and schismatic divisions so rampant in the name of religion.

Give us this day our daily bread. The Greek term here translated "daily bread" is not found elsewhere in the Bible, and scholars do not agree on how it should be rendered. Weymouth translates it: "our bread for today"; Moffatt has it, "our bread for tomorrow"! Origen believed it referred to the word of God, and Dummelow suggests the meaning as "heavenly bread. 1 John 1:8). Forgiveness is absolutely preconditioned upon the petitioner's forgiveness of others.

And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. This indicates the danger in temptation and stresses man's weakness. Think of all the holy names lost amid the storms of temptation, the hosts of the slain in the encounter with the Prince of Evil. Only a fool could face the subtle and invisible powers of evil with any feeling of superiority or overconfidence. This line is intended to impress the worshiper with the incredible force which evil can exert to lure men from the path of honor and safety (1 Thessalonians 3:5). The reference to the "evil one" is a reminder that man's foe is a PERSON, a ubiquitous enemy who sows tares in the wheat (Matthew 13:28), snatches the word out of men's hearts (Matthew 13:19), and goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). See more on Matthew 4:1 ff.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. These words are not improper, merely because they have been omitted in the English Revised Version (1885), since the Lord did not give it as a rote prayer to begin with. The doxology is most appropriate and has a positive value in affirming the fact of the kingdom's being already established. This is inherent in the use of the present tense. The addition of this doxology automatically requires another construction upon "Thy kingdom come" other than that of a petition for the kingdom to be established.

Luke 17:3); but this applies specifically in those cases where a brother is tempted to withhold forgiveness even from one who has repented and must not be construed as an amelioration of the condition laid down here.

It appears that forgiveness actually has two centers, human and divine. Christ forgave the ones who crucified him, saying, "Father, forgive them"; but it is clear that this forgiveness was extended on the human level only and did not mean that the murderers of our Lord were pardoned immediately in heaven. Some of them, at least, repented and were forgiven when they obeyed the gospel on Pentecost. THAT forgiveness was from above, in heaven (Acts 2:36 ff). The same two levels, human and divine, are observable in the case of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 7:58-60). Stephen forgave him (on the human level) as the deed was done; but Saul was forgiven in heaven when he had obeyed "from the heart that form of doctrine" (Romans 6:17 KJV). It is the Christian's duty to forgive all men without regard to their repentance. If he should think to forgive only those who repent and ask it, his forgiveness duties would be practically eliminated altogether!

Verse16
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily, I say unto you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee.

Fasting, like prayer and alms-giving, is clearly indicated as a Christian duty, but is delimited by these words to the status of a private, personal, and individual devotion. Widespread neglect of this duty does not countermand it. However, it certainly does not lie within the province of any religious organization to "command" fasting or to prescribe abstinence from certain meats. Such church regulations are identified with the apostasy by Paul who said,

In later times, some shall depart from the faith ... commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected ... (1 Timothy 4:1-5).

Verse19
Lay, not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth; where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal.

Christians must curb the acquisitive and hoarding instincts. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15). Earthly possessions cannot satisfy. This can be illustrated in nearly any community, indeed in almost every life. Say that one is a collector of souvenir spoons, plates, salt shakers, stamps, coins, or ANYTHING, and that after, many years one's collection numbers hundreds or thousands of items, is the thirst for another item thereby assuaged? No! If one has any number, however extensive, he desires always another, and another, and another. The pursuit of earthly treasures is a disease that feeds and increases upon itself. If one is collecting "thousands" or "millions" of dollars, the possession of any number of units does not satisfy the "collector" but only sends him avidly in search of more. This hungry pursuit of wealth, or any earthly achievement, pierces the pursuer through with many sorrows, temptations, and snares, as well as thrusting him into many foolish and hurtful lusts "which drown men in perdition" (1 Timothy 6:9-10). In addition to this, there is the uncertainty of earthly treasures. Christ here mentioned moth and rust and thieves, elementary sources of loss which have hardly changed since our Lord spoke these words. Riches make themselves wings and fly away (Proverbs 23:5). If one is tempted to disbelieve it, let him ask any man who has seen a flood, a tornado, an earthquake, a volcano, a change in fashion, a war, a revolution, the death of a partner, the betrayal of a sacred trust, a serious illness, or an automobile accident, or any of a million other things that continually illustrate the truth of this divine wisdom. As an antidote to man's covetous instincts, Christ taught that "It is more blessed to give than to receive," and requires that his followers shall give of their means, as they have been prospered, for the support of the Truth.

The prudent accumulation of money, wealth, or property against anticipated earthly needs is not here condemned out of hand and without qualification. Luke speaks in this place of him that "layeth up treasures for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:21). Even at its best, however, and even when most nearly under control, a man's natural selfishness is a source of awful and constant danger to his eternal welfare.

Verse20
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

The inducement that giving to righteous causes is for "yourselves" should not be overlooked. All that one gives or does for the kingdom of God will accrue to his eternal credit. Not even a cup of cold water will lose its reward (Matthew 10:42).

Verse21
For where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.

The principal concern of the Saviour is seen in this, namely, "Where is thy heart?" The love of Christ and his kingdom, the constant choice of spiritual rather than carnal values, and the preference for eternal things as contrasted with things material and secular, these considerations mark the broad purposes of the new life in Christ. Possessions must be possessed; they must not possess their owners.

Verse22
The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

This is the topic sentence of this section of the Sermon on the Mount, and it comes in the form of a climax. The subject is human duplicity. Christ laid bare the deceitful and double motives which prompt men in their religious actions. Looking back to the beginning of this chapter, note that: (1) men do alms for two motives; (2) they pray for two motives; (3) they fast for two motives; (4) they even SEE DOUBLE! The evil eye is the one that explores every action, regardless of how sacred it is, for the purpose of discovering what base motive might also be served by the doing of it. The corrupting power of this behavior is total; "How great is that darkness!" Any act, even that of prayer or charity, without the proper motivation, becomes sinful. Christ's words in this place truly described the society into which he came as the Visitor from on high. The problem was one of unmitigated hypocrisy, caused by the attempted service of both God and the devil at the same time, or, in another frame of reference, the dual service of God and mammon, or wealth. The Pharisees of that day had corrupted the inner springs of conscience by the duality of their lives. It is certain that many in all generations fall into the same error.

Verse24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Dr. F. F. Bruce, noted English scholar and frequent contributor to Christianity Today, compares this verse, especially the words, "No man can serve two masters," with James 1:1 which has "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ," and concludes that they are a valid argument for the deity of Christ. James had indeed heard our Lord declare that no man can serve two masters; and it is Bruce's contention that James was not flaunting the fact that he indeed was serving two masters, but that THE TWO ARE ONE!

The sharp truth is that one must choose whom he will serve. The erroneous assumption that he can merely go along with a foot in either camp is a vain and fatal delusion. The heart can acknowledge only one master. Knowing the difficulty that man has in breaking away from material domination, Christ, in the next few verses, reveals God's providential care for his children with a view to convincing man that God will take care of him, if only man will seek God's kingdom first. Knowledge of and dependence upon God's love and protection make it absolutely unnecessary for man to serve mammon as a means of meeting his earthly needs.

Verse25
Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shalt drink: nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they?

The area of need explored by these words is not incidental but basic. It is a question of food, clothing, and shelter. Jesus" argument is that God who made man and gave him life will also provide him with the means to sustain it, reinforcing his argument by the fact that God does this very thing for the lower creation.

Surely, God could not be charged with watching out for sparrows and neglecting his children! The mystery of how God cares for the myriads of his creatures both great and small is an unfailing marvel. Anyone familiar with wild life is aware of the remarkable continuation of every species from age to age. That God does indeed do this is a certainty. The weight of our Lord's argument here is overwhelming when it is recalled that of all God's creatures, from insects to the great animals of the forest, man alone is constantly anxious about his survival on the planet. What a glimpse this gives of the ruin and wretchedness that have resulted from man's sin and rebellion against his Maker. Anxiety, that sure corollary of sin committed, has invaded man's every thought, destroyed his serenity, and sent him scurrying in all directions; and, most significantly, anxiety only makes things worse!

Verse27
And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to the measure of his life? and why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Although the emphasis in this entire context is away from the material and workaday needs of life, there is no repudiation of such prosaic virtues as work, thrift, responsibility, and diligence. These verses are not license to leave the care and feeding of one's family to others or to the state (1 Timothy 5:8). Edgar appropriately gathers the import of these words as follows:

Consider how poor the life is which makes eating and dressing the chief thought. A man's life is intended to be much more assuredly than this; and, yet, are there not some who have no thought beyond this? The weight of anxiety is purely secular and physical. The devotees of the table and of the fashions make eating and drinking all. Now the idea of the passage is that no one is so circumstanced as to be compelled to think only or chiefly of food and raiment. There is not a poor man but may feel that he was born for higher thoughts and things than to "keep the pot boiling."Luke 1:1-80, p358." Luke 1:1-80, p358." Luke 1:1-80, p358.

Verse30
But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

This entire, rather extended, passage continues to stress man's need for utter trust and dependence upon God who cares for the grasses and the fowls of the air and will surely, therefore, care for his human children. Bryant's immortal are in this same periphery of thought:

"He who from zone to zone Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, In the long way that I must tread alone, Will lead my steps aright? Matthew 18:23-35.)

Temptation. is from a word that sometimes means "adversity, affliction, trouble," and evil is from one meaning "hardships." God never leads men into sin and

the words are not used in that sense in this place. The clause is simply a prayer for God to help the disciples in the trials of life. For thine is the kingdom, etc., is given as a reason for believing that God could control the elements of creation according to His will, and hence he would be able to give the disciples this assistance. For the meaning of the word amen see the comments at Matthew 5:18.

See the comments on verse12for the explanation of these.

Fasting was never commanded as a regular practice, but it was voluntarily done on particular occasions as an outward symbol of grief or penitence or great anxiety. The act was approved by the Lord when prompted by a sincere motive. But the hypocrites wished to obtain the praise of men for fasting when they had not actually abstained from food long enough to produce any visible effects on their countenance. To accomplish their purpose they would disfigure their faces and then put on a sad look. Thayer defines the word disfigure, "to deprive of lustre, render unsightly; to disfigure." This was done in order to appear unto men to fast or appear as men fasting.

When David was ready to cease fasting (2 Samuel 12:20) at the death of his child he arose and washed himself. Jesus instructed his disciples to proceed with the usual customs of daily life in spite of their season of fasting. That would tend to the opposite effect of the disfigurement that the hypocrites practiced for attention.

Appear not unto men to fast. By following the usual routine as described in the preceding verse the disciples would not appear to be men on a fast. That would take them out of the class of hypocrites who made a show of their performance in order to receive the praise of men. God who knows the hearts of men would see and reward the devotions of His servants as would be fitting.

For yourselves is the key to this verse and is in line with 1 Timothy 6:18. To say the passage forbids the accumulation of property beyond the present day needs would be to set some scriptures against others. We may lay up something for the future but not simply for ourselves: it Is that "we may have to give to him that needeth" (Ephesians 4:28). When we have thus accumulated a surplus we must be careful not to trust in it or become attached to it lest we make it an idol.

In addition to the reasons against hoarding described in the preceding verse, it is also foolish from the standpoint of an investment. Our idle wealth may be attacked and taken by thieves and all be lost for any good use. But the treasures in heaven, which consist of the credits from God for our righteous lives, will be safe because no thief will ever be admitted to that place, neither will any form of decay be possible there. That is why Paul used the impressive words, "Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" (1 Timothy 6:19).

This is another reason for not hoarding material wealth for ourselves, because that will become the object of our greatest interest which will lead to a form of idolatry. Doubtless that is the reason for Paul's statements in Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5. The heart is the inner man and the seat of emotions and the cause of activities. If that is centered in worldly wealth it will induce man to devote his attentions upon it to the neglect of God.

The human body is again used for illustration, the eye being the particular part for the comparison. This organ is the only one that admits light into the body and hence complete dependence upon it is necessary. Single is from HAPLOUS which Thayer defines by, "good, sound." The literal fact is that if a man's eyes are sound or normal he will be able to receive all the light that is offered him.

Evil is defined in the lexicon to be "in a bad condition." If the light that is in thee be darkness. If the only means that one has for receiving light be darkness (which it would be if it became in bad condition), then the darkness would be great because one has no other means of seeing. The lesson in this illustration is that a man has only one means of receiving spiritual light which is his intellect or mind. It is that part of his being by which he either accepts or rejects spiritual light. (See John 3:19-21.) Therefore if that mind is rendered "unsound" by the love of darkness or evil deeds, "how great is that darkness."

In the time of Christ and the apostles the country had many slaves and the relation of master and slave was referred to frequently in the speech and literature. If a man belonged to a certain master he would not be able nor even should desire to serve another or to divide his services. It he so much as attempted to do so he would be brought to punishment by his rightful master. Jesus made his own application of the illustration by comparing it to God and mammon. That word is derived from a Chaldean one that is defined, "what is trusted: treasure; riches." We have seen in verses19-21above that our wealth can become an idol in our hearts, and that would make it another god that would be a rival of the true God. The lesson is that we must not try to divide our devotion between God and anything or anyone else.

Therefore". If you are going to serve God and not riches, you will not he so concerned about temporal things which do not constitute the object of your chief devotions. Take no thought is from MERIMNAO, which Thayer defines, "to be anxious; to be troubled with cares." It is the word for be careful in Philippians 4:6 where the connection shows it means not to be too much concerned but to look to the Lord for help. Hence Jesus does not mean that his disciples were to be indifferent about the needful things of life, but they should not be overanxious about it. The reasoning the Saviour offers is both simple and forceful. The body and the life within it are certainly more valuable than the clothing for the body or the food for the life. But they already possessed the major blessings, then why have any doubts about God's ability and willingness to give them the minor ones?

This verse Is not intended to encourage indolence on the part of man, for the fowls cannot perform the scientific works of production while man is able to do so. The idea is that since these helpless creatures are abundantly supplied without their own help, it shows the power and willingness of the Creator to accomplish all that is necessary. Therefore the servants of God should have full confidence in His ability and willingness to supply all the needs of man that he cannot obtain for himself.

Undue anxiety will not add the slightest amount to one's size, hence it is useless to be concerned about the necessities of life to the extent of foolish worry.

This verse has the same lesson as verse26 except it has to do with clothing only. The lilies are as helpless as the fowls and do nothing to produce their outward appearance and growth.

The glory of Solomon's royal robes was artificial, made by the art of man, and doubtless was unexcelled by any other king of his time. His general surroundings also were the greatest of his time. (See1Kings10.) The glory and beauty of the flower is natural and hence is made directly by the hand of the Creator without the instrumentality of man, which shows the ability of God to accomplish the utmost in the field of adornment and clothing.

Grass is from CHORTOS and is defined in the lexicon, "grass, herbage, hay, provender." The lily is of the vegetable kingdom and hence is in the general class of the herbs. Which is comes from ONTOS which is defined, "truly, in reality, in point of fact . . . that which is indeed."--Thayer. The thought is that this beautiful lily is actually in existence but only for a brief time. Notwithstanding its uncertain and short existence, God thinks enough of it to give it a beauty that far excels that of Solomon. Certainly, then, He will not forget man who is made in His image. Cast into the oven refers to the use of light fuel such as leaves and grass that was burned in the portable baking stoves of many homes in that day. Smith's Bible Dictionary says the following of these ovens: "The eastern oven is of two kinds--fixed and portable. The latter is adapted to the nomad [traveling] state. It consists of a large jar made of clay, about three feet high and widening toward the bottom, with a hole for the extraction of the ashes. Each household possessed such an article, Exodus 8:3, and it was only in times of extreme dearth that the same oven sufficed for several families; Leviticus 26:26. It was heated with dry twigs and grass, Matthew 6:30, and the loaves were placed both inside and outside of it."

This verse is a summing up of the thoughts in the verses starting with25 and the repetition is for the purpose of emphasis.

Gentiles is from ETHNOS and refers to the nations in general out over the world. God knows all about our needs for He has created the very bodies that have them, hence he certainly will not refuse to provide what is necessary to support them.

There is nothing that we really have to do in making a living that will need to interfere with our work in the kingdom of God. The point is that we must be concerned first about the righteousness belonging to the kingdom. While doing that we can also do what is necessary for our temporal needs, and it is in that way that "all these things shall be added unto us."

Again the exhortation comes not to be overanxious about the morrow which means the future in general. Evil is from KAKIA and Thayer defines it at this place, "evil, trouble." The thought may well be ex-pressed with a familiar one "don"t borrow trouble" from the future. Also by another household saying not to try to "cross a bridge before we get to it." Sufficient unto the day, etc., means that each day has enough trouble for itself without looking ahead and worrying about some evil that may never come anyway. When the morrow comes, if it brings trouble to us it will then be time enough to think about it. We will be able then to care for it in the way Just set forth in this chapter.